


Bonds

by WayWardWonderer



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Experiment, Gen, Hurt, Sacrifice, Torture, Trapped, Wounded, dying, hostage, injured
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-05 04:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14036172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WayWardWonderer/pseuds/WayWardWonderer
Summary: Spock, Dr. McCoy, Lt. Uhura and Captain Kirk are all captured and tortured by the Vians. Needless pain and cruel experiments are endured by the reluctant test subjects. Harsh choices and impossible sacrifices must be made in order to save the lives of the captive away team.(A modern take on "The Empath".)





	Bonds

The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise were four years into their five year mission to explore strange new worlds and to bolder go where no one has gone before. While performing a routine scan of the Minaran system the all too ominous signs of the central star going nova were present. There were two Class 'M' planets in the solar system, neither of which had established any contact with the Federation, but the Prime Directive still prevented any form of evacuation or rescue attempts.

On the smaller, uninhabited planet dubbed "Minara II" a small research station had been established over the past six months and the two Federation scientists required immediate pick up. The second larger planet dubbed "Gamma Vertis IV", which did carry a population of humanoid inhabitants, could not be spared or warned.

With a a steadily narrowing window of time until nova the Enterprise crew attempts to beam up the two Federation scientists, only to be met by static and silence.

"Any changes in communication, Lt. Uhura?" Captain James T. Kirk asked the expertly trained communications officer who was consistently monitoring Federation channels.

"No changes, Sir." Uhura confirmed with a stoic grimace. "I've attempted to make contact on multiple channels across multiple frequencies, but it appears all contact with the space station has been severed due to the high solar flare activity."

"Noted." Turning his chair slightly Kirk next questioned his science officer on the situation. "Mr. Spock, report."

"Captain, the Minaran sun will go nova in 74.1 solar hours." The Vulcan first officer looked away from his console to speak with his Captain and friend. "The increased solar flare activity has drastically limited our communication and transporter capabilities."

"Suggestions?"

"I suggest beaming down a small search party within the hour to re-establish contact with the science base and retrieve our two missing science officers."

Kirk silently milled the idea around in his head for a moment before pressing the com and contacting his chief engineer down in engineering. "Mr. Scott, what are our current radiation levels?"

' _Captain_ ,' Montgomery "Scotty" Scott answered in his natural Scottish drawl over the intercom. ' _radiation levels are currently within safe parameters, but the levels are increasing nonetheless_.'

"How long before levels are critical?"

' _Approximately nine hours, but I cannot guarantee it_.'

"Thank you Mr. Scott, please keep the bridge updated."

' _Aye, Sir. That I will_!'

The com clicked off and Kirk addressed his first officer once more. "Mr. Spock; yourself, Lt. Uhura and Dr. McCoy will beam down to the planet's surface in attempt to make direct contact with our missing scientists."

"Yes, Captain." Spock left his post and proceeded to walk toward the turbo lift with Uhura following close behind.

"Uhura, keep constant vigil on our communication signals once you've reach the planet's surface." Kirk tagged on as she and Spock entered the lift.

"Aye, Sir." She acknowledged his orders and stepped into the lift and stood beside Spock, beside her love.

The doors of the lift closed as they began descending down to the proper deck for the transporter room. "Dr. McCoy," Kirk pressed the com button on the side of his chair once more. "meet Spock and Uhura in transporter room two and bring your med kit."

' _Not another damned away mission_.' Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy answered with a less than enthusiastic reply. ' _C'mon Jim, I'm a doctor not an explorer, I prefer staying in sickbay. Where it's relatively safe._ '

"I know you do, but I prefer you as my eyes and ears when I'm not on the away mission. You know I need you Bones!"

' _Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm on my way_.'

* * *

The doors to the lift opened and the duo exited side by side into the corridor, only to walk a few more paces before entering their designated transporter room.

Walking into the transporter room Spock and Uhura greeted their transporter technician before standing on the pad. Kirk contacted the technician over the com and asked for an update on Bones. ' _Any word from Dr. McCoy?_ '

"Right here." Bones walked through the door with a somewhat annoyed huff, medical kit in hand. He begrudgingly joined Spock and Uhura on the transporter pad and sighed. "Let's get this over with."

' _That's the spirit Bones_.' Kirk didn't even try to hide his amusement as he overheard the response over the com.

The technician confirmed the coordinates and addressed his Commander. "Ready whenever you are, Sir."

"Energize." With the single confirmation the three occupants on the transporter pad were beamed from the Enterprise and to the surface of the planet below.

Within a matter of seconds the small away team set foot on the dry, red terrain of Minara II. It was a barren, desolate place that had long been since abandoned by its native inhabitants. Craggy earth, massive jagged boulders, shifting brown sand, dry wind and silence was all that remained of the planet's once thriving landscape.

A large, silver metallic dome stood out boldly against the brown and red environment unnaturally. The dome, the scientific research facility, was still operational but it seemed eerily abandoned.

"Uhura to Enterprise." She flipped open her communicator and attempted to establish contact with the ship. "Come in Enterprise."

' _Enterprise responding_.' Lt. Hikaru Sulu's voice answered. ' _Reading you loud and clear_.'

"Enterprise begin scan on the exterior and interior of the facility and transmit the results to Mr. Spock's tricorder."

' _Aye, Lieutenant._ _Beginning scan now_.'

"Uhura out." Closing the communicator she pocketed the device and motioned for Spock and McCoy to follow. "Gentlemen, let's go."

The trio silently approached the facility, Spock's tricorder drawn and tensions high. Despite the planet being uninhabited the environment seemed ominously quiet and still.

"I don't like this, Spock." McCoy finally broke the silence as he looked over his shoulder suspiciously. "It feels like we're being watched."

"Being watched?" Uhura didn't understand McCoy's concern. "Watched by what?"

"Not by what," McCoy continued with emphasis. "by _whom_."

"Doctor," Spock intervened with his own opinion. "there are no organic life forms existing on this planet, aside from ourselves and the two scientists. Your concern is illogical."

"I know that Spock," McCoy almost snapped. "but I still have the unsettling feeling that someone, someone _unfriendly_ , is watching us. Logical or not my gut is telling me we're walking into a trap!"

Uhura just shook her head as they reached the large, single entrance to the facility. The power was still on but it was running on its absolute minimal capacity. The door opened, slowly with a shuddering motion and a gust of dusty air blew through the doorway into the outside with a rush.

Pulling her communicator from her pocket Uhura reestablished contact with the Enterprise. "Uhura to Enterprise, anything to report?"

Static and broken sentences were his only reply as Sulu attempted to answer. _'Atte... up... a for... ...nal. Unkno... ... ...side_.'

"Enterprise, come in?" Uhura attempted to boost the signal but was unable to improve the communication link. "Sulu? Captain? Enterprise, come in!"

Nothing. Only static and garbled sounds of interference.

"Spock," Uhura turned and looked at the science officer somewhat worried. "can we boost the signal inside?"

"It is possible to use the facilities computers to boost our communicators signal through the increasing solar flare activity."

"Right. Let's get moving then." Uhura poked her head through the door and saw that the lights were dim and it was just as quiet inside as out.

McCoy adamantly objected. "Whoa, whoa! You want to go _inside_ there? There was no communication response from the facility when we first arrived, what makes you think we'll be able to send one now?"

"We have to try Doctor." Uhura replied matter-of-factually. "Come on, the sooner we make contact the sooner we can leave."

"Best suggestion all day." McCoy reluctantly admitted.

The away team cautiously entered the foreboding facility that reeked of desertion. The walls and floor were all covered with a fine layer of dust that escaped into the air in puffs of clouds beneath the trio's footsteps. Yellow and red caution lights flickered rhythmically through the lengthy corridors, casting faded shadows that only intensified the feeling of dread.

"Something's wrong." McCoy reiterated. "Something's very wrong."

"Yeah, I'm beginning to think you're right." Uhura was beginning to feel uneasy as well.

"'Bout damn time..."

Stepping into the heart of the facility the main control room was void of all personnel and showed signs of months of neglect. Control panels were flashing on and off, chemicals were left out of place and a bunson burner was still ignited.

Uhura paused and looked around suspiciously. "What happened here?"

"Unknown." Was Spock's succinct, direct reply.

"And where are the scientists?" McCoy tagged on nervously.

"Again, unknown." Spock's tone remained calm and professional. "I shall attempt to obtain the security footage."

McCoy and Uhura tentatively walked around the room, carefully glancing over any and all research that had been left unchecked by the two missing scientists. Massive and valuable computer files were left on the monitors for prying eyes to view, all of the computers were left running and unmanned potentially exposing the collected data for any enemy of the Federation to steal.

"Lieutenant, look at this." McCoy spied a single coffee mug left idle on a desk. "This hasn't been touched in weeks, if not months. What the hell's going on?"

Before Uhura could respond Spock succeeded in retrieving the security footage. The last known images of the two missing scientists was being played out on the screen of the largest monitor in the room. The trio gathered around the monitor, Uhura and Spock standing side by side while McCoy watched over Spock's shoulder.

"I can't hear anything." Uhura addressed the uneasy silence of the footage.

"All audio has been compromised." Spock confirmed. "Only the video is available."

The video itself showed the two M.I.A. scientists going about their routinely business; taking soil samples and analyzing data read outs. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until the two men on screen suddenly began grimacing in pain and covering their ears as if a horrendous, deafening sound was filling the room.

"What's happening to them?" McCoy asked without taking his eyes from the screen.

"Without any audio we may never know." Spock stoically responded.

"Thanks Spock, you're a tremendous help."

The footage continued on, the two scientists holding their ears, stumbling for the exit in a final desperate attempt to flee before finally collapsing in pain onto the floor. Just seconds after collapsing and falling unconscious the two men suddenly vanished from the screen without a trace. No transporter beam, no one else entering the room and no one exiting through the door.

"The hell?!" McCoy couldn't believe his eyes. "Where did they-"

Spock suddenly put his hands to his ears and shut his eyes tight as a horrible pain rang through his head.

"Spock?!" McCoy put his hands on Spock's shoulders and tried to steady the pained Vulcan as he began losing balance. "What is it?"

"I... I don't know!" Spock stammered pathetically, his ears ringing louder and louder. "A high pitched frequency..."

"Dr. McCoy, do something!" Uhura practically blurted as she put her hand on Spock's arm.

"I don't know what to do!" McCoy confessed as he continued to support Spock's form as the taller Vulcan began blacking out. "I can't-"

Simultaneously Uhura and McCoy also put their hands over their ears as the intense sound was now beginning to affect them as well. Like Spock and the two scientists before them they too fell victim to the unknown sound that created unbearable pain. A high pitched sound that only increased in volume and intensity, which caused pain, dizziness and confusion.

Spock fell to the floor in an unconscious heap at Uhura's feet.

"Spock!?" McCoy kneeled down next to the felled Vulcan but he too soon passed out from the pain, falling helplessly at his colleague's side.

Uhura was the last to fall, her resolve to stay coherent and conscious was no match for the debilitating sound that came from seemingly everywhere.

The room went black and the sound mercifully faded away as the trio fell victim and unconscious on the cold, dusty floor of the research facility. A strange energy and presence quickly filled the room...

* * *

 

Aboard the Enterprise the ship's powerful scanners and computers detected and subsequently registered a strange frequency emanating from the planet, coming from within the facility. Shortly after the frequency appeared on radar a second wave of energy overwhelmed the same facility, completely blocking and finally severing any and all contact with the investigating away team.

All attempts to make contact with the team failed. No response, no signal, no life signs...

"Mr. Sulu, any changes on the planet's surface?" Captain Kirk asked as he impatiently sat in his chair, his brows knitted together showing his mounting stress. "Report the last confirmed known location of the away team."

"No changes, Sir." Sulu confirmed with a heavy tone. "Last known coordinates of the away team match the location of the facility. No residual transport beam activity, no shuttlecrafts landing or taking off from the planet's surface... It's as if the team never even set foot on the planet."

"Do what you can to trace their signals. We're _not_ leaving them behind."

"Yes, Sir." Sulu continued to scan and analyze the data being constantly streamed and updated on his display.

"Mr. Chekov," Kirk turned his attention to the younger but reliable helmsman who had taken over Uhura's communications. "anything to report?"

"No, Keptain." His Russian accent was low and disappointed as he answered. "No other frequencies have been detected. No distress signals, either."

Kirk ran a hand down his face to wipe away the tension filled sweat from his face. "Keep checking. Be sure to check all channels, frequencies and listen for any interstellar 'gossip' that might give us a clue about what's happening down there."

"Yes, sir!" Chekov continued to monitor the ominously quiet channels, waiting for any little change to help locate the missing crew members.

Turning on the com on his chair Kirk addressed his chief engineer. "Scotty, give me some good news."

' _Sir, we're still in safe radiation level parameters_...' There was a palpable hesitation in his voice that was audible even over the soft hum of the typical ambience of engineering.

"But...?" Kirk pressed Scotty to finish.

' _But our time estimate for safe planetary orbit was a wee bit off_.'

"How far off, Mr. Scot?"

' _About... four hours_.'

"Four hours? _Four_?" Kirk repeated the number emphatically.

' _Aye_...'

"So we have only _five_ hours before radiation levels reach critical?"

' _Aye_.'

"...And we have to leave orbit."

There was a pause before Scotty answered in the same, his voice now hollow as the grim reality set in. ' _Aye, that we do_.'

"Thank you Mr. Scot. Do what you can to buy us more time."

' _You can count on it, Sir_!'

Clicking the com off Kirk sighed with an exasperated huff and leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees and pressing his chin against his woven together fingers. "Where are you when I need you, Spock?" He asked himself feeling mentally exhausted. "Where are you?"

* * *

A sense of isolation, coldness and silence filled the perpetually black chamber. The chamber appeared to be circular with no doors or windows to permit entrance or an exit. A strange lighting that seemed to come from everyone and somehow nowhere gave the chamber a dim but acceptable glow. In the center of the large, circular chamber was a single bench with a orange colored padding over its top.

The three members of the away team were laying unconscious on the floor of the chamber, all unaware of the bizarre events that they had been a part of. The first to stir was Dr. McCoy, who pushed himself up from the ground and off of his chest until he was sitting on his knees. He put a hand to his head as the lingering pain of the high pitched sound left behind a dull headache.

Looking around the doctor first spotted Lt. Uhura laying on her side only a few yards away from him. "Lieutenant?" Clumsily scrambling to his feet he moved over to his downed colleague and pressed the back of his hand against her neck. "Lt. Uhura?" She didn't respond, even as he took the tricorder from his belt and began running a scan over her unconscious form. "Nyota, wake up."

Her eyes fluttered briefly as she became aware of Dr. McCoy now kneeling beside her. "Doctor?"

"Yeah. You alright?"

"I'm... confused. Where are we?"

McCoy shook his head. "No clue. I don't know how we got here or who brought us." He reached out a hand and helped her to sit up. "But I do know we need to get out of here, fast."

"You're right." She ran her hand over her smooth hair which was pulled back in a ponytail. She felt a sharp pain and retracted her hand. "Ouch!"

"Yeah, you have a small cut on your forehead." Dr. McCoy informed her as he examined the injury. "Must've struck your head when you passed out. Try not to touch it."

"Right. Where's Spock?" She asked as she slowly stood up on shaky legs, using Dr. McCoy as her guide.

"You're the first one I saw when I came to. But he can't be far."

Uhura glanced around the room quickly, disturbed by the darkness and quiet of the chamber. Her eye was drawn to the bright orange fabric of the bench, which led her gaze to a swatch of bright blue on the floor on the other side. "Spock?" She recognized the blue as Spock's uniform shirt.

McCoy turned his focus to follow Uhura's line of sight and soon saw Spock as well. "Spock?" Walking over to the unconscious Vulcan McCoy and Uhura helped their colleague to regain consciousness. Spock was laying flat on his back, not moving.

"Spock, can you hear me?" Uhura asked gently as she put her hands on the sides of his face.

McCoy ran a tricorder scan over his body, just as he did Uhura. "Vitals are normal, at least they are for a Vulcan. That frequency must've hit him especially hard thanks to his enhanced hearing."

"Spock, look at me!" Uhura spoke louder and with more insistence.

Spock's eyes twitched before opening and focusing on Uhura's face. "Nyota."

"You're okay!" She sighed in relief. "Can you sit up?"

Spock looked around the room in a brief moment on confusion before returning his gaze to Uhura's. "I appear to be unharmed." He remarked as he sat up from the floor. "Are you injured?" He saw the small cut on her forehead and showed only a glimpse of human worry in his brown eyes.

"It's nothing, just a scratch."

Spock turned his attention to Dr. McCoy who was kneeling beside him and uncharacteristically quiet. "Doctor, has something preoccupied your attention?"

Dr. McCoy was looking past his two colleagues and toward the far wall of the chamber. His intense hazel eyes were focused on something trying to hide in the darkness. Standing up slowly Dr. McCoy turned off his tricorder, reattached it to his belt and proceeded to walk over to the wall slowly. He held out his hand and spoke in a soft, warm tone. "It's alright. We won't harm you."

Spock and Uhura turned their attention to the doctor as he calmly walked toward the wall.

"Please. Don't be afraid." Dr. McCoy spoke with a sincere welcoming lilt in his voice. "Take my hand."

From out of the shadows a pale humanoid hand reached out hesitantly, ready to retract at any moment.

"Curious." Spock observed. "It appears we are not alone."

The hand fearfully rested itself in Dr. McCoy's outstretched palm, allowing him to take a firm but gentle grip. "That's right, you're safe with us." He reassured the unknown fourth occupant. "Come over here."

From out of the darkness the figure stood up, revealing herself as the reluctant prisoner she was. A woman with short brown hair, warm brown eyes stood beside the doctor timidly. Wearing a pale purple jumpsuit with a long multicolored scarf around her neck, the woman silently allowed Dr. McCoy to escort her to the center of the chamber where Spock and Uhura were still sitting.

"Do you have a name?" Dr. McCoy asked politely.

The woman didn't answer. She only stared into his eyes with an almost tangible fear.

"My name is Leonard McCoy. I'm a doctor." He continued, doing his best to ensure that the woman felt safe. "These are my friends. This is Spock," he used his free hand to gesture toward the Vulcan. "and this is Nyota Uhura."

Uhura nodded politely as she and Spock stood up from the floor beside the bench. "Hello."

The woman saw the cut on Uhura's forehead and tilted her head with concern. Taking her hand from McCoy's the woman reached out with her two forefingers and gently pressed them into the cut.

Uhura didn't flinch or try to pull away. From the look in the woman's eyes she knew that the woman wasn't a threat.

As the woman pulled her fingers away the same cut that had once marred Uhura began fading into view on the woman's forehead, in the exact same location and the wound was of the same severity.

"The hell?" McCoy remarked as he watched the odd transference of wound from one person to another. He again used his tricorder, this time to scan the woman.

Before anyone could say anything else the cut on the woman's head faded away just as quickly as it appeared, leaving behind absolutely no mark or scar.

"Fascinating." Spock remarked as his scientific curiosity piqued.

Uhura was relieved that her injury had been healed and grateful for the woman's generous gift. "Thank you." Uhura whispered. "For helping me."

The woman smiled but kept her silence.

McCoy slipped his tricorder back to his belt after analyzing the results. "I don't believe it. She's an _empath_!"

Spock arched an eyebrow at McCoy's conclusion. "A truly empathic lifeform has not yet been identified in Federation space. If you are correct, and this woman is an empath, then perhaps her presence may yield a clue to our current situation."

"Empath?" Uhura was unfamiliar with the term.

"An empath," McCoy explained excitedly. "is a being who has such a strong and intuitive nervous system and brain chemistry that they can synchronize their own bodies to that of another with a simple touch. And _through_ this physical connection combine their feelings, their emotions and even their immune systems into a _single_ functioning process."

" _Correct_." An unfamiliar, unseen voice confirmed from somewhere in the chamber.

A flash of white light filled to room as two new beings, both of alien origin, appeared in the room along with the four prisoners. These two men were humanoids in appearance as well, but unlike the woman they were much taller and had enlarged, bald craniums. They were much paler than the woman, almost pure white and their hollow gray eyes were far from harmless.

"Your assessment of our 'Gamma Vertin' subject is quite accurate, and astute for someone of such limited intellect as that of a human." The same alien who had spoken before spoke again.

McCoy cocked an eyebrow and muttered to Spock despondently. "And I thought _you_ were critical of my observations."

Uhura was growing impatient with their mysterious 'hosts'. "Who are you and why have you brought us here?"

"We are Vians. The two remaining inhabitants of the now abandoned planet you have dubbed 'Minara II'. I am Thann. This is my colleague Lal." The first Vian, Thann, continued to speak with an arrogant manner.

Lal finally addressed the four captives. "You have been selected to take part in a series of experiments."

Spock put himself in front of his colleagues in a protective stance. "We have not volunteered to take part in such experiments, nor will we cooperate. We are here to locate two missing scientists and nothing more."

Thann sneered at Spock's resistance. "You speak as though you have any choice in these experiments. Let me assure you, you do not."

Now it was McCoy who was on the defensive. "Now wait just a damn minute! You can't just abduct people and use them as your lab mice! The Federation won't-"

"The Federation cannot reach you here." Lal interrupted. "And now, doctor, we will begin our tests. We will start with the Vulcan."

In a flash of light both the Vians vanished, and so had Spock and the woman.

"Spock?" Uhura looked all around for any sign of her lover and felt her heart skip a beat when she could no longer see him. "Spock?! They took Spock!"

"But not for long." McCoy put his hands on Uhura's arms as a means of support, his own concern for Spock and the empathic woman were undeniable as he tried to ease Uhura's fears. "We're going to get him back. And we're going to get out here, _all four_ of us. Somehow..."

* * *

 

An unexpected sensation overcame Spock's sense of being as he and the mysterious woman were transported into a room that was separate from the chamber that he had once been imprisoned along with Uhura and Dr. McCoy. This new room was just as poorly lit but somehow felt darker. It was cold. The room was cold, the emotions in the room were cold and the strong metal shackles that restrained his wrists were cold.

Spock looked at the massive restraints that bound him helplessly in the secondary chamber. The shackles were attached to two separate but equally strong platinum chains that ran from the ceiling and hovered just a few feet above the ground. Suspended two feet off the ground Spock found himself helplessly dangling by his shackled wrists and face to face with his Vian captors.

Standing behind the two Vians, cowering with righteous fear, was the mysterious woman who had been taken away from the main chamber as Spock had been.

"Shall we begin?" Thann asked Lal, his voice colder than the room and his eyes locked onto the Vulcan prisoner.

"Yes." Lal nodded with an almost cruel indifference. "I believe this shall be a very enlightening experience."

Thann had taken a small, beige metal device from his robe pocket and lifted it until it was level with Spock's chest. "Vulcans are said to be of the highest emotional resolve of any known intelligent being. It is also stated that the Vulcan's ability to endure great amount of physical stress and pain is just as formidable as their emotional restraint."

Lal turned his head and looked at the woman who seemed to be pleading with her eyes for the Vian's to stop the inhumane 'experiment' before it began. "Such a strong mind could prove useful for our future endeavors."

Spock, who remain stoic and unphased by the idle threats of the Vians, broke his silence in a manner befitting his reported resolve. "Your experiments are both a waste of time and energy. There is no benefit in physical or mental tortures to 'break' an individual, as a broken individual would be rendered inert by said experiments. Your entire experiment is illogical and therefore arguably invalid."

"Well said." Lal complimented dryly. "However, we are not interested in logic. Only results."

On that final statement Thann turned on the bizarre device in his hand using a powerful telekinetic command generated from his own mind. The device screeched to life and instantly sent a violent shock of pain through Spock's chest and core.

Spock managed to keep his composure and didn't flinch at the searing pain that was now burning through his chest.

"Curious." Thann remarked as he used the device again. "I do believe your notion of enlightenment is justified, Lal."

Wave after wave of unseen and nearly unbearable pain wracked Spock's entire body as he remained suspended by chains above the floor.

The cowering woman fell to one knee and shielded her eyes from the brutality that was taking place before her. A violent act that she was unable to stop or even protest.

Spock chose to focus his mind elsewhere, to block the pain before it had a chance to affect him. Using his keen observation skill Spock analyzed his situation, memorized the layout of the chamber, eyed the device in Thann's hand and spotted Dr. McCoy's medical kit sitting on a circular desk in the center of the room.

The woman only rocked herself fearfully on her knees as she silently begged for the experiment to end.

* * *

Dr. McCoy and Uhura walked side by side as they carefully examined the walls of the dark chamber, desperate to find some opening or weak point that could be used a possible escape route. The circular chamber was completely sealed yet it seemed to stretch into infinite nothingness.

"Great, no way out." McCoy grumbled as he and Uhura made a complete circle. "So how in the hell did we get in here to begin with?"

"I'm not sure." Uhura was trying to focus on Dr. McCoy's words but her mind kept wandering back to Spock. "The last thing I remember was hearing some kind of high pitched frequency before waking up here."

"Yeah, I heard it too. And I'm pretty sure that same frequency is what took out our missing scientists on the security footage."

"What're we going to do? We can't leave, we can't signal for help, we can't find Spock..."

McCoy heard the hope in Uhura's voice beginning to fade with each word she spoke. "Don't worry, that pointy eared boyfriend of yours it too stubborn to be held prisoner by anyone." He put his hand on her shoulder in a reassuring gesture. "And Jim isn't the kind of Captain to leave his crew behind, let alone his friends."

Uhura only nodded as she was unable to find a confident enough to tone to answer properly.

"Besides, Kirk needs Spock, Spock needs you, you need to keep Spock in line so he keeps Kirk in line and, God help me... _I_ need Spock to help keep Kirk in line."

Uhura couldn't help but grin at Dr. McCoy's attempt to lighten the overall gloomy situation. "I'm sure Spock will be happy to know that."

"Spock? _Happy_? When pigs fly..."

A sudden flash of light filled the chamber and in the center of the chamber near the bench was Spock, who was leaning against the bench wearily. The mysterious woman had also been returned to the chamber and was kneeling beside Spock, her hand hovering just near his shoulder as if she were afraid to touch him.

"Spock!" Uhura rushed over to her injured love as McCoy followed close behind. Uhura wrapped her hands around Spock's arm in an attempt to help him stand up. "What have they done to you?"

McCoy grabbed Spock's other arm and assisted Uhura in standing the injured Vulcan up and then to help him lay down on the bench. "Easy Spock, don't move too quickly."

"I can assure you doctor, I will not be moving quickly in this moment or any near future moment."

"Good." McCoy was almost relieved to know that Spock wasn't going to be as stubborn a patient as usual. "Just lay there and let us help you."

Uhura took Spock's hand in her own and saw the painful green bruises that encircled his wrists. His hands had grown pale due to the cut off blood circulation and his fingers were unusually cold beneath Uhura's warm touch. "Spock, did they put you in chains?"

Spock merely nodded and winced as he tried to take a breath.

McCoy carefully examined Spock's wrists, using a gentle grip to ensure he didn't exasperate the injury site. "I don't have my med kit and the tricorder can only tell me so much, but I'm certain nothing has been broken." He allowed Spock to retract his hands and rest them across his chest, which caused him to wince in pain once more. "Chest pain?" McCoy asked, already knowing that the answer was 'yes'. Gingerly he ran his hands down the sides of Spock's rib cage, feeling the fractures in his ribs shift slightly under his touch.

Spock tried to deny the pain but he knew that it was pointless. Again he nodded.

"Where exactly? Can you describe it?" Despite already knowing the location of the pain McCoy continued to ask Spock as a means of keeping the Vulcan's mind distracted.

Spock tried to speak but a sudden cough caught him off guard and stole his voice.

McCoy put his hands on Spock's shoulders to try and steady him until the coughing fit passed, while Uhura kept on hand on his and used her other hand to gently run her fingers through his dark hair.

The woman, who had been watching will much fear in her eyes slowly pulled herself up from the floor until she was sitting on the edge of the bench. With a shaking hand she reached for Spock's chest but couldn't bring herself to touch him. She pulled her hand away and pressed her fingers to her quivering lips as the fear of pain halted her.

McCoy could see it in her kind eyes that she so desperately wanted to help Spock as much as he and Uhura. "It's okay." He spoke to her with the same calm compassion as a father would his daughter. "He's in pain but his injuries aren't life threatening. You can help him if you want to, you won't suffer anything permanent." He smiled at her to try and convince her. "And I'm a doctor, I'll take care of you, too. I promise."

The woman never spoke but she seemed to understand McCoy and believed him when he promised to take care of her. Returning her focus to Spock she hovered her hand over his chest and slowly laid her palm down on his chest. She began flinching and silently enduring Spock's pain as her healing touch soothed the coughing fit.

"Doctor," Spock spoke up suddenly, his coughing fit subsided. "you must refrain from-"

"Shut up Spock, she's helping you." McCoy turned on his tricorder and began scanning the woman's vital signs. As her heart rate climbed McCoy kept a closer eye on her physical reactions. "Okay, okay, okay!" He gently used his hands to pull her hand from Spock's chest. "He'll be alright now. You did great."

Uhura watched in amazement as the bruises around Spock's wrists faded and his breathing became more even. "That's incredible..."

McCoy help onto the woman's arms to support her until she had also recovered from the pain and regained her strength. "Thank you." He continued to offer his kind words of encouragement to the woman as her body trembled from the horrid pain she had only recently endured. "You're a real gem, do you know that?"

She smiled and blushed a little. Though she never spoke she understood all that was being said perfectly well.

Spock slowly sat up right on the bench and turned his gaze to Uhura. "Are you and Dr. McCoy uninjured?"

"Yes," she put her hand on the side of his face softly. "we're fine."

"But we're still trapped." McCoy grimly reminded the team. "And we can't communicate with the Enterprise."

"I am not so sure, doctor." Spock commented with a look of intrigue in his eyes. "I believe we can signal our location to the Enterprise by commandeering the same device that the Vians used to transport myself and the empath to a secondary chamber."

"If the device can be used as a transporter then why don't we just transport ourselves back up the Enterprise and get the hell out of here?"

"The device is of a technology that I do not fully comprehend. It would be unwise to attempt to beam four persons aboard a starship without understanding its full capabilities."

"Good point." McCoy admitted begrudgingly. "So, how do we get one of those devices? Ask?"

"I hardly think 'asking' the Vians for-"

"Sarcasm Spock, _sarcasm_!" McCoy cut him off mid sentence. "Just... tell me your plan."

"I shall. Once I devise one."

"Oh, great. So we just sit here and wait until you think of a new plan, meanwhile the Vians could take any one of us away again and do who knows what to us!"

Uhura tightened her grip around Spock's hand. "Then we'll just have to keep our heads and work together."

Spock looked at Uhura with a glimmer of pride in his intense gaze. "Well said."

* * *

"Scotty, give me an update!" Kirk checked in with his chief engineer as he hovered anxiously over Chekov's shoulder.

' _Captain, if we stay for more than three hours then the Enterprise will be contaminated with radiation._ '

"Can you do anything to boost our radiation shields."

' _No. Yes. Well... Maybe.'_ The conflict in Scotty's voice resonated throughout the ship.

"Mr. Scot, I need a definitive answer: Yes or no."

' _If I take power from another section of the ship and bypass it through the radiation shields I could theoretically give the Enterprise an addition five hours. But I'd have to reroute the power from somewhere that wouldn't endanger the ship as a result_.'

Kirk's blue eyes flashed as an idea came to mind. "What about the transporters?"

' _Aye, that'll do. But then we won't have the power to beam anyone else down to the planet's surface, let alone beam the away team back up_.'

"Then I'll just have to take a shuttle to the planet's surface."

' _A shuttle? You? But Sir-_ '

"Scotty do what you have to do. Keep the Enterprise safe and in orbit until I return with the away team.'

' _But... Aye, Sir. I'll do my best_.' Scotty obeyed the order, soundly practically defeated as he replied.

"Kirk out." Patting Chekov on the shoulder Kirk headed toward the turbo lift. "Mr. Sulu, you have the con."

"Aye, Sir." Stepping away from the helm Sulu sat in the Captain's chair and began analyzing his options in the event of an emergency. "Mr. Chekov, keep an eye on those readings."

"Yes, Sir!"

Kirk stepped into the turbo lift alone, determined on getting down to shuttle bay one. The doors slid shut and let out a heavy sigh as the immense weight of the rescue mission was finally beginning to press down against him.

* * *

 

The shuttlecraft 'Galileo' left the exterior docking bay of the Enterprise with its lone occupant and pilot at the helm. The intense rays of the Minaran Sun would have been blinding had there been no ultraviolet ray protection built into the front shield, windows and heat shielding. Violent solar flares disrupted the Galileo's scanners and radars which made piloting the craft all the more difficult through the planet's surface.

The com signaled on the helm and Kirk pressed the flashing red button. "Mr. Scot, how can I help you?"

' _Captain, I have to say this is a bloody horrible idea_!' Static followed his drawl as he spoke over the link. ' _Must I remind you that according to Starfleet regulation seventeen that-_ '

"Mr. Scot, it's a little too late for that. Besides, we have very few options."

' _Aye, Sir._ ' Scotty accepted the grim truth of the matter. ' _Well, bet of luck to ye'_.' More static. ' _I'll be waiting for your return_.'

"Mr. Sulu give me an update." Kirk made contact with the Enterprise bridge as he began the difficult descent into the Minaran atmosphere.

' _Captain,'_ Sulu's voice was garbled by magnetic interference _. 'scanners show a ... in th... ...mosphere. Take pre..._ '

"Sulu? Sulu, repeat. You're breaking up!"

' _Keptain_!' Chekov responded with a frantic tone. ' _you mu..._ ' There was no further transmission, only static followed by deafening silence.

"Chekov? Sulu?" Kirk attempted to reestablish contact with the ship but was unsuccessful. "Great, flying blind and I have no contact with my own ship. I wonder how 'Bones' would react to this!"

* * *

McCoy and Spock fiddled with the tricorder in an attempt to get a strong signal to scan the chamber. The intricate device, though powerful, was unable to defy the advanced Vian dampening fields. It was eerily quiet and uneventful as the four prisoners awaited the next phase in the Vian's experiments.

Uhura was sitting at Spock's side, watching as he and McCoy worked on the tricorder. Her training as a communications officers told her that the lack of activity on the scanner meant any potential frequencies, incoming or outgoing had been completely blocked.

The empath was watching the activity from afar. She was tired and shaken by the experience of aiding Spock with his injuries. Sitting on the floor, her legs tucked underneath her body, she watched through sleepy eyes as her new friends continued to search for a means of escape.

"Damn it, nothing's working." McCoy was reaching his limit patience wise. "We need something else to get this blasted thing working."

Spock didn't react, he simply began stating the obvious. "The 'thing' as to which you refer, is in fact working. It is, however not-"

"Sorry I said anything..." McCoy sighed feeling defeated.

Uhura looked over at Dr. McCoy and forced herself to smile just a little bit. "Everything's going to be okay. You'll see."

McCoy returned the smile. "Yeah. I just hope everything turns out okay sooner than later."

Another flash filled the room and their two Vian captors returned.

McCoy, Spock and Uhura rose from the bench and took a defensive stance as they locked eyes with their cold 'hosts'. The two Vians seemed somewhat amused by the reaction they received upon their arrival in the chamber.

"It seems you have made a full recovery." Thann commented in a almost mocking tone as he focused on Spock. "Most interesting."

McCoy's frustration was mounting. "Now what do you want from us?"

Lal looked at Dr. McCoy and seemed to smirk a little. "Results."

Thann resumed speaking. "Our next experiment is set to begin. This time we will require a female test subject."

Spock instinctively used his arm to gently pull Uhura behind himself in an attempt to shield her. McCoy took a step forward, putting himself between the Vian's line of sight to block the empathic woman.

Spock raised an eyebrow and began interrogating the Vian. "To what purpose would a female subject have for your experiment?" He felt Uhura wrapped her hands around his arm and squeeze fearfully.

"To compare the physical resolve between the two distinct humanoid genders will require data from both a female specimen and-"

"Specimen?!" McCoy nearly spat. "These women are not 'specimens' for you to dissect or test! If you touch either of them-"

Thann pointed the odd device in his hand at Dr. McCoy and sent out another unseen energy wave which caused great pain. McCoy clutched at his chest as he fell to one in knee in great pain. Uhura ducked down behind Spock and put her hand on McCoy's back until the pain subsided. The empath discreetly joined the group as she too put her hand on McCoy's back.

"The doctor's temperament is most intriguing." Lal egregiously observed. "The strong negative reaction to the prospect of potential danger is a most noble response."

McCoy looked up, his hazel eyes still filled with pain. "Noble my eye..."

Just as Thann was about to continue his explanation he paused. A large muscle and several blood vessels in the center of his enlarged cranium began pulsating as he silently focused on something that the others couldn't see. He glanced toward Lal, who too honed in on the same unknown reaction that had garnered Thann's attention.

"We shall return." Thann spoke again. "You have until our return to speak freely amongst yourselves."

In a flash the twisted duo were gone, leaving the four prisoners behind in the chamber.

Spock turned his focus to Dr. McCoy and offered his hand to take. "I doubt your intent was to be inflicted by the Vian device," he took McCoy's hand in a firm grasp and helped the doctor up to his feet. "but your provocation has given me the opportunity to further analyze the device through observation."

"Your welcome, glad to be of service." McCoy groaned as he winced in pain, his hand clutching at his chest over his heart. "Feels like I've been kicked by a damn mule..."

Uhura was focused on Spock. "Did you learn anything about the device? Can we use it to our advantage?"

"Possibly." Spock confirmed. "It appears to be to powered by the Vian's via telepathic connection. A connection I may be able to replicate."

* * *

The Galileo landed softly on the planet's surface. Minimal damage received to the shuttlecraft despite the faulty instruments and interference. Kirk withdrew a phaser from the storage compartment and switched it to stun before clipping it to his belt, alongside his communicator. Opening the door to the craft Kirk cautiously stepped outside and set foot on the barren ground.

From the craft he could see the dome of the science facility only a few yards away. A windblown trail lead from the outer perimeter of the planet and to the front door of the facility.

"Let's see what's going on." Kirk spoke to himself as he proceeded toward the isolated building. He took his communicator from his belt and flipped it open. "Kirk to Spock..." No reply. "Kirk to McCoy." Still no reply. "Kirk to Uhura?" Absolute silence. "Kirk to any Starfleet personnel, please report." No matter who he tried to contact the answer remained the same. "Damn it."

Returning the communicator to his belt Kirk stood before the door of the facility. Looking down he saw the three sets of footprints that belonged to the now missing away team. "They _were_ here."

He stepped back from the facility, unwilling to become lost in the same manner if he stepped inside. There was no sign of struggle or an ambush.

"So where are they _now_?"

A disembodied voice replied from an awkwardly close position. "With us."

Kirk pulled his phaser from his belt and pointed it in the direction he was certain the voice came from. "Show yourself!"

The two Vians appeared in a flash of light in front of the door that Kirk had backed away from.

"Who are you?" Kirk demanded an answer. "Where is my away team?"

The two Vians didn't reply. They stared with arrogant eyes at the newly arrived captain.

"Look, my name is James T. Kirk. Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise. I'm here to retrieve my crew. You know where they are, tell me now."

Thann responded with a smugness that Kirk wanted to slap out of his mouth. "How much do you care for your crew members?"

Kirk lowered his phaser and kept his composure. "Enough to risk being caught in a supernova."

Lal spoke next. "Perhaps you can demonstrate this devotion for us."

"Demonstrate? What the hell are you talking about?"

Thann lifted the device in his hand once more and a flash of light enveloped the three beings on the planet's surface. In a matter of seconds Kirk found himself standing in the center of a large black room that was cold and felt ominous.

"Where am I?" Kirk asked as he looked around confused.

"Jim!" Dr. McCoy called out to his Captain.

"Bones?" Spinning around Kirk spotted his three crew members plus a fourth person standing together near the far wall. A force field was surrounding them, preventing them from moving. "Are you alright?"

"Not really."

"I'll get you out of there!" Kirk jogged toward the force field only to have the two Vians reappear in a flash of light and stand between him and his crew members. "Get out of my way!" Kirk ordered as he came to a clumsy stop and aimed his phaser. "Now."

Thann used his device once more, a flash filled the room and Kirk's phaser was now in Lal's hand.

Kirk looked at his now empty hand bewildered for a second before returning his angered gaze at the two Vians. "Release my crew."

"We cannot." Thann refused. "They are crucial for our experiments."

"Experiments?" Kirk shook his head at the idea. "I'm sure you can find some other way to conduct your experiments. Now, for the final time, release my crew."

"No."

Growing increasing frustrated Kirk thought quickly and decided that a compromise was in order. "If you need someone for your experiments, then use me. Set them free and I'll take their place."

"Jim no!" McCoy protested.

"Captain, don't do it!" Uhura sided with Dr. McCoy. "There must be another way!"

Thann and Lal seemed pleased with Kirk's devotion. The two Vian's looked at each other as they communicated with telepathic wavelengths.

"Very well." Thann agreed to Kirk's terms. "You may take the place of _one_ crew member."

"What? One?" Kirk looked at his three crew members, his three friends with hesitation. And then there was the fourth person, that woman. She could be just as innocent as his crew, how could he possibly decide her fate? "I can't just choose one life over the others!"

"Decide." Lal taunted. "Or we shall choose for you."

"Captain," Spock spoke with a confident, fearless tone. "choose another, I shall stay."

"Spock, don't do that." Kirk didn't like the idea of leaving a friend to die, let alone a friend he had become close to over the years.

"Jim," McCoy sounded less confident but somehow just as fearless. "don't do this. We can find a way out all together. Don't split us up."

Kirk was feeling all the more conflicted as each of is crew members refused to give into the Vians intimidation and stand their ground. He looked to Uhura and could see the concern in her eyes, the concern she'd never admit to feeling during a moment of crisis.

Standing between Uhura and McCoy was the fourth woman, of whom Kirk never knew. She, just as the others, was determined to remain in her place and not allow anyone else to be injured because of her. Her warm brown eyes showed a type of inner strength that Kirk had seen in his own mother's eyes while growing up...

Thinking quickly Kirk came to the most logical conclusion as possible. "Alright, I made my decision."

The Vians awaited his response.

"Let Uhura go back to the shuttle. I'll take her place."

"Captain!" Uhura tried to protest but Kirk raised his hand to quiet her.

"It'll be okay lieutenant, trust me."

"Very well." Thann accepted the decision and allowed Uhura freedom from the force field. "Go to your Captain."

With a look of pent up rage Uhura confidently marched away from the force field, looking over her shoulder to Spock who nodded with approval as she stood before their Captain.

"Lieutenant," Kirk began in a controlled voice which didn't match the worry in his eyes. "you're the best communications officer in Starfleet. I need you to go back to the Enterprise. Tell Sulu that our communications are down and that we need Mr. Scot to find an _alternate_ way of making contact with the fleet." He slipped his communicator into her hands. "We must _rendezvous_ with the _Galileo_ at _seventeen_ -hundred hours, regardless of outcome."

Uhura studied his face carefully and took in every word he said.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir." She concealed the communicator in her hands, keeping them in front of her so the Vian's couldn't see. "I'll get right on it."

" _Seventeen_ -hundred hours."

"Right." Uhura nodded discreetly.

Kirk looked passed her and to the two Vians. "Send her back to the shuttlecraft. I won't resist or try to escape."

Thann used the device to fill the room with a flash of light and in a single moment Uhura was gone. The force field was gone. Spock, McCoy and the woman all joined the Captain in the center of the chamber.

Thann looked at Kirk proudly. "We shall return for you in ten of your Earth minutes." Another flash and the Vians were gone.

"Jim, what are you doing here?" McCoy asked bitterly. "Why didn't you send us some help?"

"I am the help, Bones."

"Oh, great. Good job, then!"

Kirk ignored McCoy's remark. "Spock, do you understand what I asked of Lt. Uhura."

"Indeed I do." Spock nodded once. "A very logical solution."

McCoy was out of the loop. "I'm lost here. Jim, what did you do?"

* * *

 

Uhura found herself standing once more on the sandy, barren surface of the planet. The bright sunlight was intense, almost blinding to her eyes after being subjected to the dim lighting and darkness of the cold chamber. She lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the natural light and turned on her heels to face the two Vians who had returned her to the surface.

"What're you going to do to my shipmates? My friends?" She asked nervously as she struggled to focus on the two alien forms standing in the sunlight.

"Why do you concern yourself with the fates of those you will never meet again?" Lal asked in a cold, intimidating manner.

Uhura's heart skipped a beat as the idea of never seeing her friends again, never seeing her beloved Spock again, was a thought too grim to bear. "Because I don't believe that." She retorted firmly. "You don't know them as well as I do. They won't give up on themselves or each other, and neither will I."

"We shall see." Lal taunted with a final arrogant smirk.

Thann raised the device in his hand as he spoke to Uhura for the final time. "Return to your shuttlecraft, return to your ship. Do not set foot on this soil again.  
The supernova draws nigh, your death would shortly follow."

In a flash the two Vians disappeared from the surface and from sight. Uhura lowered her arm and began jogging toward the location of the shuttlecraft, knowing that Kirk would've landed at the away team's initial coordinates. As she rushed toward the shuttlecraft she closed her eyes and began silently wishing for the safe return of the rest of the away team, for the return of her love. "You better come back to me," she solemnly asked. "I can't stand the idea of returning without you!"

* * *

During the absence of the Vians Spock and Dr. McCoy quickly explained to Kirk the events that had previously transpired, their encounter with the empath, the Vians' motivations and of Spock's potential escape plan. It was a hasty explanation but with Spock keeping the important details in check Kirk was brought up to speed and angered by the mistreatment of his crew.

"How do we get a hold of the Vian's device?" Kirk asked as he glanced about the chamber suspiciously. "From what you've said and from what I've seen the Vians don't let that device out of their sight."

Spock arched an eyebrow. "While bound in the secondary chamber I observed a modest but advanced science station at the heart of said chamber. I believe we will locate a second, identical device in the same in the approximate location of the science station."

"So when the Vians return to take one of us," Kirk uncomfortably motioned with his hand at the gathered group of four. "we have to make an attempt to locate, grab and conceal a device on our person?"

"Precisely, Captain."

"How?" Kirk couldn't think of a clever way to hide a bulky piece of technology on his person.

Spock nodded at the empath. "I believe she can be our solution."

McCoy looked at the woman, the worry in her brown eyes evident. "Do you think the Vians would suspect 'Gem' of harboring their technology?" He was genuinely concerned about her well being. "I'd hate to think what kind of pain they could inflict on her if they caught her helping us."

Kirk turned to McCoy and gave him an odd look. "Gem?"

McCoy casually glanced at the empath. "She couldn't tell us her name and she deserves to be known as something other than 'the empath'."

Kirk grinned a little at McCoy's explanation. "Good call, Bones."

The chamber filled with a flash of light as the Vians returned to their prisoners. Kirk, Spock and McCoy all turned their focus to their captors and glared with righteous disdain at the pretentious smirks plastered across the Vians' faces.

"Now what?" McCoy asked with a palpable anger.

"Now," Thann answered smugly. "we take your Captain and test the resolve of a human compared to that of a Vulcan."

"You son of-"

In another bright flash the two Vians disappeared from the chamber, taking Kirk and Gem with them. Spock and McCoy looked at each other with unspoken mutual fear for the safety of their Captain and new friend.

Spock closed his eyes and fell into a deep meditation that McCoy was all too familiar with.

"Spock, I'm sure Uhura returned to the surface alright." McCoy offered a notion of comfort. "She's very resourceful. She can find a way back to the Enterprise safely, I know it."

Slowly Spock opened his eyes and looked at the doctor with an expressionless glance. "My concern for Nyota has diminished since the Captain has volunteered to take her place." He explained calmly. "My remaining concern is for ourselves and the fate of the Enterprise in the even the sun goes supernova before have a chance to escape."

* * *

"Uhura to Enterprise, do you read?" Lt. Uhura was alone and secured in the Galileo, checking every possible open channel and frequency in an attempt to make contact with the orbiting star ship. "Galileo to Enterprise, do you read?"

Static filled the com link, followed by inaudible, garbled voices as the Enterprise attempted to respond.

"Damn it." Uhura realized that the magnetic interference from the abundant solar flares would make contact with the Enterprise an impossibility. "Guess I'm going to have to deliver the Captain's message in person!"

* * *

Kirk found himself suspended in the same metallic chains that had bound Spock earlier. He struggled against the chains but found the pain in his hands and wrists too severe to continue his weak escape attempt. Instinctively he began observing the room in an effort to locate the other device or a secondary means of escape. He located the work station in the center of the room and Dr. McCoy's medical kit sitting on top of the station. A large white container resting on the opposite end of the station appeared to house a piece of very important equipment.

"Welcome, Captain Kirk." Thann greeted the prisoner with a demented glee. He and Lal stood shoulder to shoulder, keeping Gem behind them in a means of limiting her actions. "Do not waste your energy. You cannot escape."

"What're you going to do?"

Lal answered with a pretentious tone. "Compare your physical endurance to that of your Vulcan ally. We hope your resolve proves more fruitful than that of our previous human subjects."

Kirk didn't like the sound of that. "Previous subjects? Who're you talking about?"

Lal pointed to the far end of the test chamber, to the far wall behind Kirk. Turning his head as much as possible Kirk was able to catch a glimpse of two large stasis pods attached to the wall. Inside the two pods were to men, neither of them appeared to be breathing.

"No..." Kirk saw the blue shirts and the gleam of the silver Starfleet insignias pinned to the shirts. "What did you do to them?!"

"Your scientists were our first human subjects. Neither endured our experiments in a satisfactory manner. Their deaths were an unfortunate after effect."

"You sick bastards!" Kirk spat in anger, knowing that two Starfleet officers have already fallen at the hands of these two twisted scientists.

Gem flinched at Kirk's anger but understood that it was directed at the Vians and not at herself.

"Come now, Captain." Thann arrogantly responded. "Do not waste your efforts. Rescuing the dead is a needless, thankless task."

"Needless?" Kirk couldn't believe the level of disrespect and coldness exhibited by the Vians. "Giving two officers the proper burial so they so rightly deserve is never needless!"

"Sentiment." Lal commented. "How interesting."

Thann nodded as he raised the device toward Kirk. "Shall we begin?"

Kirk looked pass the Vians and to Gem. He gave her a reassuring smile and used his eyes to motion to the station where the unknown equipment rested. "Do I have a choice?" He sighed unenthusiastically. "Do what you want to me, just let my crew go."

"We cannot do that." Lal denied his request without any hesitation. "Not yet..."

Thann turned on the device and sent powerful, unseen waves of energy into Kirk's body, which caused him to moan and twitch in unexpected pain. A pain he was unable to stop, limit or escape.

* * *

The Galileo reached the docking bay of the Enterprise and was immediately greeted by chief engineer Scot. Uhura stepped outside of the shuttlecraft and walked to Scotty, who was anxiously waiting for an update from Captain Kirk.

"Lieutenant, what in the world happened to ye' down there?"

"We were captured by two aliens calling themselves Vians. The Captain offered himself in exchange for my freedom."

"The Captain has been taken captive?" Scotty was getting more and more nervous by the second. "I warned him! I tried to site regulation-"

"Seventeen." Uhura finished his sentence for him. "He told me to tell you seventeen."

"Aye..." Scotty nodded. "Regulation seventeen states that in the event an away mission has been deemed perilous for the Captain or acting Captain that the ship's crew is required to do a planet wide sweep with all sensors and radar in an attempt to locate the missing officers."

Uhura's eyes brightened as she finally understood why Kirk had taken her place as prisoner. "Scotty, I think I know how to locate them!" She held up the communicator that Kirk had handed her. "And this is where we start!"

* * *

Spock and McCoy were too nervous to sit idle while their Captain was being tortured in the inaccessible adjoining chamber. It was uncommonly quiet in the dark and expansive chamber. The air was still and stagnant and the poor lighting seemed to be nothing more than a humble glow against the darkness.

"Do you think you can get the device to work properly?" McCoy asked the brilliant science officer as he paced the room for the countless time. "It's a piece of technology we've never encountered before."

Spock contemplated the difficulty of the task before providing a logical reply. "I'm confident in my skills to properly decipher and thus gain access to the device." He arched an eyebrow. "But the time frame in which I will be successful in this endeavor has yet to be determined."

McCoy stopped his pacing and stared at Spock. "Has anyone ever told you that you're just a radiant beacon of hope?"

Before Spock could respond a flash filled the room, revealing both Kirk and Gem now in the center of the chamber. Kirk was laying on his back on the bench with Gem standing beside the bench watching over him nervously.

"Jim!" Both McCoy and Spock made an attempt to rush to their Captain's aid when a powerful force field emanated from seemingly nothingness and prevented them from proceeding forward.

Spock remained his usual stoic self, his eyes locked onto Jim as he laid nearly unconscious and in evident pain on the bench.

"Jim! Can you hear me?" McCoy called out desperately.

Kirk didn't reply. His eyes were glazed over and staring at nothing. A small trickle of blood was running from his ear and pooling on the bench beneath his head.

Gem sat on the bench next to Kirk and watched him with an immense sadness in her eyes. Her hands trembled as they hovered over his prone body, his eyes never focusing on the kind face which was watching over him.

"Gem," McCoy called to her next, his voice now steady and calm. "please, help him. Don't be afraid."

Gem looked over her shoulder at the doctor, there was a pleading cry for help in her brown eyes that made his own heart ache.

"I know you can help him and you're the only one who can! Please. He's our friend, and he needs you."

Looking back at Kirk Gem placed one hand over his eyes, closing his lids and resting her palm against his forehead. She began doubling over in pain wrapping her free arm around her chest as the incredible pain that Kirk had been suffering began leeching from his body into her own beneath her offered touch. She began silently screaming as the pain intensified and Kirk began twitching beneath her hand.

Gem pulled her hand away and began quietly weeping to herself as she sat beside Kirk.

"It's okay," McCoy encouraged honestly. "you can do it! You've already helped him this much, please, keep helping him."

Spock looked at McCoy with an unspoken respect as McCoy kept his composure. The Vulcan had become accustomed to McCoy's emotional outbursts when angered or upset, to see him display his training doctor with complete control over his emotions.

Gem's shaking hand hovered over Kirk's body once more, her hand slowly lowering to his forehead once more. She took in a breath and held it as she continued to heal the injuries inflicted upon Kirk courtesy of the Vians.

Kirk's eyes fluttered open as his body stopped twitching. He turned his attention to Gem and put his hand over hers, pulling her palm from his forehead. "Thank you..." He whispered.

The force field vanished, allowing Spock and McCoy to finally rush to their Captain's side. McCoy used his tricorder to run a scan over Gem while Spock put his hand over Kirk's chest.

"Bones," Kirk's blue eyes focused on the doctor who was standing beside Gem. "is she alright?"

"She's okay." McCoy confirmed. "Exhausted, but all her vitals are stabilizing." He put his hands on her arms to support her as she wearily sat on the bench beside Kirk. "Thank you, for saving our friend."

She looked up at McCoy with a faint smile. She reached into the pocket of her jumpsuit, one that was hidden behind her billowing scarf and pulled out both Dr. McCoy's medical kit and the second Vian device from its storage case.

"Thank you!" McCoy took the medical kit for himself and handed the device to Spock.

Spock eagerly examined the device and began working on a means on analyzing it.

Kirk watched as Spock systematically attempted to understand and reprogram the device, his hands working with surgical precision. "Spock, is that the device?"

"Yes, Captain." Spock confirmed. "And I believe I can use the device to our advantage."

Through blurry eyes Kirk tried to stare at McCoy. "Bones... They're dead."

"Who?" He asked with deserved concern.

"Our missing scientists. They're dead. The Vians... they killed them."

Spock visibly stiffened his posture upon hearing the tragic revelation.

McCoy shook his head angrily. "Thick headed freaks..." He grumbled under his breath as he helped Gem to lay back on the bench to rest as he began running his tricorder over Kirk. "How do you feel Jim? Physically, I mean."

"Like I'm suffering the mother of all hangovers."

"Well, if anyone knew how that felt it'd be you!" He finished running his scan and shook his head. "It appears Gem has not only healed your injuries, she also cured you of your decompression sickness. 'The bends'!"

"Wait, don't you get the bends from scuba diving improperly?" Kirk asked groggily.

"Yeah." McCoy confirmed Kirk's question. "Now how in the hell you got the bends while down here is a new mystery all on its own!"

A flash filled the room as the two Vians returned. The two pale, arrogant aliens watched as McCoy glared angrily at them, his posture indicating a protective stance over both Kirk and Gem.

Spock discreetly concealed the device behind his back, out of sight. "You've returned."

"Yes." Thann acknowledged Spock's statement. "You should be pleased to know that there remains but one final experiment."

McCoy arched an eyebrow. "I don't like the sound of that..."

Lal continued for his colleague. "This test, however, shall prove to be the most intense and damaging of the experiments thus far."

Kirk turned his gaze toward the two Vians, his strength slowly returning. "And why are you telling us this?"

Thann replied in a low tone. "Because the experiment has one of two outcomes, an outcome that you, Captain Kirk, must decide."

Lal finished the explanation. "This final test will end with devastating results. If Spock in the chosen subject the result shall end with a 94% chance of irreversible brain damage and debilitating insanity."

Kirk was now sitting up, his full attention on the Vians. "What about the second outcome?"

"If McCoy is the chosen subject," Lal continued in the same low tone as Thann. "the result shall end with an 82% chance of death."

"And _I_ have to choose?" Kirk asked wearily, his reluctance obvious in his voice.

"That is correct." Thann nodded without concern.

"Then I choose _myself_!" Kirk nearly yelled, unwilling to choose between and sacrifice his friends.

"That is not allowed." Thann denied the offer as he raised his device.

Lal made one final demand. "You must choose: Spock or McCoy. You have five of your Earth minutes to decide."

Kirk fell back against the bench in a defeated collapse.

"Jim," McCoy ran the tricorder over the weakened man's body. "don't worry about it."

"How can I not, Bones?" He put one arm over his eyes. "I'm not going to send either of you to your deaths, which means I have all of five minutes to contemplate my own."

"No." McCoy took a hypospray from his medical kit and pressed it against Kirk's neck. "Not this time, my friend."

"What the..." Kirk trailed off as the unexpected sedative began coursing through his veins. Unable to resist the effects of the powerful drugs Kirk rested his head against the bench and fell into a much needed sleep.

McCoy could feel Spock's eyes staring at him. "Don't look at me like that Spock. I had to do it."

"Doctor, I approve of your actions, the Captain was in no condition to make such a decision. Your intervention has now left me in command and thus the choice is mine."

"What?" McCoy couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You're daft man! You'll go insane, lose your _mind_! You can't just-"

"I _can_ and my decision stands." He returned his focus to the device in his hands.

McCoy shook his head as he quickly reloaded the hypospray in his hand. "I'm sorry." Just like Kirk he swiftly pressed the hypo against Spock's neck and injected the Vulcan with the powerful sedative.

Spock stood up quickly and stared at McCoy. "Doctor..." his voice grew heavy and tired. "my orders... still... stand."

As Spock collapsed, his knees buckling under his weight, McCoy caught his falling body and eased him down to the floor. "No Spock. This is one order I simply can't obey."

Gem watched with confusion as McCoy proceeded to check both Kirk and Spock's vitals one final time with the tricorder before closing the device and leaving it on the bench beside the medical kit at Kirk's feet.

McCoy looked at Gem and offered her his hand. "Will you please watch over my friends for me?"

Gem nodded once, understanding his decision. She smiled warmly but weakly as her own fatigue from healing Kirk still weighed against her.

The Vians returned in a flash of light. They stared silently at the group on the bench, awaiting the decision that Kirk had been forced to make.

McCoy walked toward the two aliens and shook his head. "The choice has been made."

The flash filled the room as the Vians took McCoy from the main chamber and to the secondary chamber. Just like Spock and Kirk before him McCoy found himself suspended in strong chains that cut into his wrists. Unable to escape McCoy just sighed and accepted his fate.

"Dr. McCoy," Thann pointed the device at the captive doctor. "are you ready to begin?"

"Just get on with it!" McCoy barked impatiently. "I don't like waiting..."

* * *

 

Working together on the bridge of the Enterprise Lt. Uhura and Chief Engineer Scot worked tirelessly to locate the missing away team using the locations recorded on Kirk's communicator to pinpoint the possible coordinates of the Vian prison chamber. The signal was faint and using the ship's scanners while in close proximity of the dying Minaran sun made tracing the signal all the more difficult.

"Scotty, can you boost the signal?" Uhura asked as she began searching the proper channels for any attempt of communication from the away team.

"I'm doing my best, lieutenant." Scotty was at her side, using all of skills and knowledge to enhance the sensors' range and power levels. "But the constant solar flares and magnetic fields are making it nigh impossible to pin down exact coordinates." He put a hand to his face and wiped away his stress sweat. "I'm also willing to wage that those Vian devils have the away team in a bunker like structure, buried several meters below the planet's surface."

"We have to keep trying!" Uhura encouraged as she nodded to Chekov at her other side. "Be sure to monitor all frequencies as well."

"Aye, Lieutenant!" The young ensign acknowledged her words. "I will keep constant vigil."

Sulu turned around in the Captain's chair to focus on his crew mates at control stations behind him. "Lieutenant, we have only two hours before we _must_ leave orbit."

"Noted." Uhura replied in curt manner. "We'll be out of here _with_ the away team before the sun goes nova..."

* * *

"Captain? Jim." Spock put his hand on Kirk's shoulder in an attempt to rouse the sedated man. "Wake up."

"Spock?" Kirk opened his blue eyes and struggled to focus on his friend's face. "What happened?" His words were mildly slurred but clearing as he regained consciousness and looked around the chamber puzzled. "Where's Bones?"

"Doctor McCoy has apparently given himself up to the Vians."

"What?! No!" Kirk sat upright in a huff, his eyes wide with fear. "We have to find him, NOW."

Gem put her hands on Kirk's forearms in attempt to ease Kirk's worry. Her brown eyes stared in his and seemed to be telling him that everything would be alright.

"Spock, have you made any progress on the Vian's device."

"Yes, Captain." Spock confirmed as he finished the final adjustments on the alien technology. "Before Dr. McCoy drugged with his sedative I managed to confirm my hypothesis about the device being operated on a telepathic wavelength."

"Can you use the device yourself?" Kirk asked impatiently as he continued to glance about the chamber eagerly.

"I have modified the device to match the same internal wavelength used by Vulcans. I can now use the device as you so order, however, an unforeseen hindrance has recently come to my attention."

"And what's that, Spock?"

"The device holds a limited charge that I cannot replenish." Spock's own brown eyes seemed to reveal a flash of remorse as he explained the unfortunate dilemma to his Captain and friend. "We can use the device to escape this chamber and return to the planet's surface, or we can use it to locate Dr. McCoy. It cannot allow us to do both."

Kirk sighed as he struggled to make the right choice. Risk their three lives in order to _locate_ a fourth, or save three lives at the _expense_ of the fourth. Four lives, one decision.

"Spock, I..." Kirk didn't dare suggest leaving McCoy behind. Not a member of his crew, not his best friend. But he couldn't suggest staying on the dead planet with a sun about to nova either. After a moment of emotional debate Kirk made the difficult choice. "we can't leave McCoy behind. Can you take us to him?"

Spock nodded. "Affirmative."

Gem smiled and handed Kirk the medical kit and tricorder that McCoy had left behind. She nodded confidently as she helped him to his feet.

"Alright. Let's go." Kirk ordered as he and Gem stood beside Spock. He attached McCoy's tricorder to his belt and slung the medical kit by its strap over his shoulder.

"Very well." Spock raised the device in the same manner as Thann had done so many times before, and used his Vulcan telepathy to successfully activate the device.

In the same flash of light that enveloped the Vians as they used the device to teleport from one location to the next, Kirk, Spock and Gem were shrouded in light as they were taken from the main chamber and into the second, adjoining chamber.

As the light faded away from the trio Kirk found his eye drawn directly to the captive doctor suspended in chains in the center of the room. "Bones..."

Dr. McCoy was unconscious, his head hung low against his battered chest. His hair was sticky with his own blood and sweat and clung to the sides of his bruised face and over his forehead. A trickle of blood ran from he corner of his mouth and dripped down onto his tattered blue uniform shirt staining it with a sickening red. Both of his wrists were red and purple from the blood circulation being cut off by the thick, heavy shackles as his dead weight threatened to pull his arms out his sockets or dislocate his strained shoulders.

Gem covered her mouth with both hands to stifle her own silent scream of fear, worry and remorse.

"Spock, help me get him down!" Kirk ran to McCoy's body and used his hands to support McCoy's weight around his broken chest, flinching when he felt a broken rib or two give way under his touch.

Spock located the the long, singular chain that kept the two restraining chains taut and released it from its hold against the nearest wall.

McCoy's body fell limply from the now slack chains and into Kirk's arms. Kirk allowed McCoy's full weight to pressed against his own chest as he wrapped his arms around McCoy's upper body to hold him steady. "Get the shackles from his wrists!"

Spock rushed back to his friends and easily unclasped the two shackles from McCoy's wrist one at a time.

Now freed Kirk was able to scoop McCoy up and into his arms. McCoy's limp body was heavy and covered in blood as he rested helplessly in Kirk's strong arms as he carried his unconscious friend over to a nearby bench.

Laying McCoy down as gently as possible Kirk and Spock began assessing the damage inflicted on the horrifically wounded and brave doctor. Gem could only watch in horror from a distance, her legs giving out beneath from the gruesome sight she had just beheld. She sat on the floor, her legs curled beneath herself as she began rocking back and forth anxiously.

Kirk gingerly lifted McCoy's hand to check his pulse while Spock took the tricorder from Kirk's belt and began running a scan over McCoy's body. "His pulse is almost gone..." Kirk informed Spock as the impact of McCoy's condition set it.

Spock finished the scan and announced the following results in a solemn tone. "Severe heart damage, congestion in both lungs, signs of massive circulatory collapse."

"...where am I...?" A feeble, fatigued voice whispered as the faintest glimpse of regained consciousness returned to McCoy.

"Don't talk," Kirk put his hands on the sides of McCoy's face to ensure the injured man was looking at him. "don't speak. Take it easy until we get you back to the ship."

Spock nudged Kirk's arm with his hand and motioned with his eyes for Kirk to step away for a discreet moment.

"What's wrong, what is it?" Kirk asked after only take a few tepid paces away from his friend.

"He's dying Jim." Spock answered in a low, quiet tone. "I can make him comfortable, but that is all."

"You don't know!" Kirk objected to the Vulcan's statement. "You're not a doctor!"

"...I am." McCoy had heard the conversation but showed no fear as he interjected weakly. "go on..."

Kirk returned to his friend's side while Spock reluctantly ran a second scan over McCoy's body and was given more detailed, far worse results than previously. "Bleeding in the chest and abdomen, hemorrhage of the liver and spleen, seventy percent kidney failure..." Spock turned off the tricorder after performing the scan.

"...he's right Jim." McCoy confirmed groggily. "being a doctor has it's drawbacks. I can't even remember why I-" McCoy stopped himself mid sentence as a violent coughing fit overtook him.

Kirk put his hands on McCoy's upper arms and shoulders to help keep his body stable as the painful coughs racked his body with uncontrollable spasms.

Gem, who could only watch, turned away as the pathetic sight made her heart ache.

"...thanks." McCoy instinctively responded to the kind gesture of his friend.

"Spock," Kirk stood up from the bench where he had been sitting beside McCoy and looked toward Gem. "can she save him?"

"Jim," Spock was now addressing Kirk as his friend and not his Captain. "I fear Dr. McCoy's nearness to death would result in Gem's own demise."

McCoy tried to interject but a second violent coughing fit stopped him before he could even begin. Spock put both of his hands on McCoy's shoulders and the side of his neck, his hand touching the side of McCoy's face, as he helped the injured man turn onto his side during the coughing fit. As McCoy struggled to take in a breath of fresh air Spock supported his back and patiently waited for the involuntary bodily thrashing to finally end.

Spock helped McCoy roll back onto his back and slowly took his hand away from McCoy's face. Despite his Vulcan emotional discipline Spock couldn't hide the sympathy in his eyes as he looked down at his friend.

"...you've got a good bedside manner, Spock." McCoy complimented his friend with a sincere but partial smile.

Spock didn't react or respond as he watched McCoy's head loll to the side as he fell unconscious once more.

Kirk looked down at McCoy and then back toward Gem. "Maybe Gem can strengthen him just enough to hold out until we can get him back aboard the Enterprise."

"Perhaps Gem's natural instinct for self-preservation would keep her from succumbing to the severity of the injuries." Spock had quickly but logically weighed their very limited options and concurred that Kirk's suggest of Gem's empathy was the only way to keep McCoy alive.

"We've got to try! She and Bones seemed to form some kind of bond, I think she'll help him." Kirk mentioned as he and Spock walked over to the cowering woman, side by side.

As the commanding duo crossed the room a force field appeared from seemingly nowhere and encircled the two before they could reach Gem. Unable to get to the empath and unable to return to McCoy's side the two could only watch helplessly as the Vians entered the chamber in a flash of light.

"You must _not_ interfere." Thann ordered. "The final experiment must be allowed to unfold without any outside interference or influence."

Thann and Lal didn't react with emotion, they continued to coldly observe the seen playing out before them.

"The choice must be made by the one you call 'Gem', and her alone." Lal explained. "Be patient."

"Experiment?! _Patient?!_ " Kirk angrily spat. "Our friend is _dying_! She _must_ go to him!"

Spock arched his eyebrow as he attempted to understand the purpose of the Vians' experiment. "To what purpose will death our friend be to your experiment? What is to be gained by his needless passing?"

"You misunderstand." Thann answered in an even tone. "Our experiment revolves around Gem and the influences you, our subjects, had left upon her psyche."

"I don't understand..." Kirk admitted feeling both clueless and scared. "What influences could we have had on her?"

"Behold!" Lal motioned toward the bench where McCoy was laying. Gem was now sitting on the bench beside him, her hand hovering timidly over his face. "The end result of your influence over her subconscious and conscious decisions."

Gem lightly brushed the dark, bloody locks of hair from McCoy's bruised face. Her light touch was enough to rouse McCoy from his state of unconsciousness and look in her lovely, compassionate eyes.

McCoy watched in a semi-lucid state as Gem put her hand gently on the side of his face over his forehead, her empathic touch channeling his body's physical responses and pain into her own body. Slowly the bruises, cuts and swelling on Dr. McCoy's face faded from his form and appeared on her face as her touch began to heal his debilitating wounds.

Kirk and Spock watched in silent awe from afar as the empath used her natural ability in an attempt to save McCoy from death.

The Vians were also silent, their gaze fixed to every movement Gem made and her every reaction.

Gem began to weep inaudible tears as the pain from McCoy's horrendous injuries began to affect her entire body. Sharp pains that she couldn't stop coursed through her veins, stung at every nerve as she desperately forced herself to stay with McCoy and help him.

Weakened from the event Gem's hand fell away from McCoy's face and her shoulders sagged with fatigue.

Thann was disappointed. "She is afraid."

"Then we have failed?" Lal inquired.

"No." Thann wasn't ready to admit defeat. "Not yet."

"Failed? How have you failed?" Kirk inquired impatiently, his eyes glued to the form of his dying best friend.

"Gem is an inhabitant of the neighboring planet Gamma Vertis IV." Thann answered without emotion in his voice, every word was carefully calculated. "As you are well aware the Minaran sun will soon go nova, all life in this solar system will be extinguished."

Lal spoke up. "We are but the last of our own people and we possess the power to save a single planet from destruction."

"These experiments," Thann continued without speaking a beat. "were to serve as a means of determining if Gem's people were worthy of being saved."

"What does that have to do with us?" Kirk asked, his blue eyes filled with anger. "Why imprison us?"

"You are not our prisoners," Lal replied with a slight grin on his face. "you are Gem's teachers."

Spock arched his eyebrow. "Teachers. In what matter?"

"In the matter of compassion, trust, courage and true empathy." Thann's answer seemed to be full of unexpected hope. "You demonstrated these acts brilliantly. Each of you willing to give up your own life to save another. If our experiment is a success then these traits will now be encoded into her being and she can pass them onto her people, making them worthy of salvation."

McCoy began coughing again, his whole body shaking with the uncontrollable fit that stole his dwindling breath. Gem raised her trembling hand over McCoy and put her palm against his chest, over the many tears in the battered fabric. As he continued coughing she moved her hand up and pressed her fingers and palm against his neck and throat.

"Don't touch me." McCoy had become aware of what Gem was trying to do and he understood all too well the consequences of her actions. "No, don't do it."

Kirk and Spock could only watch as McCoy and Gem teetered on the brink of collapse.

"Jim, Spock... are you here?" McCoy asked, his voice almost cracking from the physical strain it took just to speak.

"We're here, Bones." Kirk confirmed in a calming voice.

"Don't let her touch me. Don't let her touch me or she'll die!"

Kirk put his hand to the force field in a futile attempt to escape as he the desperation in McCoy's voice was too much for him to bear.

"Jim, I can't destroy life. You know that. I can't, not even if it's to save my own..." With a firm and controlled grip McCoy managed to lift his hands and put them against Gem's upper arms. He pushed her away and apologized as she fell away from him and onto the cold floor. "I can't let you do it..."

McCoy, no longer being strengthened by Gem, fell back unconscious on the bench. Gem, who was severely weakened by the experience, laid on her side on the floor, unable to get up or move.

"Captain," Spock finally broke his silence. "I believe the force field is being fueled by our emotional reactions to Dr. McCoy."

"How do we disable the force field?" Kirk asked as he finally dropped his arms at his side.

"We must compose ourselves, refuse to feel any emotion despite what we see."

"I'll do what I can." Kirk acquiesced as he took a deep breath and attempted to regain his composure

The force field began to thin its energy as the emotional fuel was deprived. The light dimmed and Spock was able to push his hand through the barrier. Freed Spock marched toward Thann and pulled the device from his hand. The force field was disabled entirely which allowed Kirk to finally return to McCoy's side.

Spock followed his Captain and attempted to use the device to heal McCoy of his injuries, but the device was not synchronized with his own telepathic wavelength.

"Please." Kirk turned to Thann and Lal. "You must save our friend."

"No." Thann refused. "We will not."

"Why not? Gem offered her life to save his! The experiment is over!"

Lal explained in a heartless tone that Kirk was wrong. "The experiment is a failure."

Thann continued on for Lal. "To offer is not to give."

Kirk took the device from Spock and offered it Thann. "If she had given up her life to save McCoy then her teachings couldn't possible be carried on to her people. The fact that she offered and McCoy refused is proof that your experiment is a success! Gem is worthy of life!" He turned and looked at McCoy over his shoulder. "And so is our friend."

Thann and Lal exchanged cold glances as they began communicating telepathically.

"You two have become so isolated, so emotionless than you've forgotten what it's life to live. To really live! A part of life is learning, changing and becoming a better person with each passing day. Not how many days you let pass."

Thann and Lal turned their gazes to Kirk.

"I'm asking you, as one who appreciates life to another, please, save Dr. McCoy. You're the only ones who can."

A moment passed where the room was absolutely still and silent. No one spoke or moved from their positions as McCoy laid dying on the bench between the four standing men.

"Very well." Thann accepted the device from Kirk and turned his attention to McCoy.

With an effortless motion and single telepathic command the device was able to heal the lingering wounds that threatened to take McCoy's life. Coughing a few times McCoy opened his eyes and looked at his friends standing beside him.

Kirk put his hand on McCoy's shoulder as he sat on the bench beside him. "How do you feel, Bones."

His hazel eyes darted about the room very quickly in bewilderment before he finally answered. "Tired. Very tired." He watched as the Vians approached Gem, who was still laying on the floor. "Gem?"

"She's alright. She saved you." Kirk pulled McCoy up into a sitting position and watched with wonder as his friend's physical demeanor continued to improve.

Lal bent down and gently picked Gem up from the floor and held her in his arms.

"Your ship has been consistently attempting to make contact with you for some time now." Thann admitted casually. "We will no longer block the signals and permit you save passage to your ship." He lifted the device in his hand as he stood beside Lal. "Fare thee well."

In a final flash of light the Vians, along with Gem, vanished from sight as Kirk, Spock and McCoy found themselves standing on the planet's surface. They were free.

"Bones?" Kirk took McCoy's arm and pulled it around his own shoulders to help the man stand steady. "You still with us?"

"Yeah... I'm just tired as all hell." McCoy confessed, the glaze over his hazel eyes confirming his fatigue.

"We'll get you back to the Enterprise, just hold on." Kirk reassured his traumatized friends. "Just a few minutes more."

Spock took McCoy's other arm and helped Kirk carry McCoy over the dusty terrain up to the coordinates where the away team had initially beamed down.

The sound of a chirp caught Kirk's attention as they neared the rendezvous point. The two stasis capsules with the bodies of their two missing scientists had been released from the Vian prison along with the away team, and sitting at the foot of the capsules was a communicator.

Spock picked up the device and answered in his usual stoic manner. "Spock here."

' _Spock_!' Uhura's voice rang out in a melodic tone. ' _Thank heavens... Don't move, we're going to beam you up, we have your signals_!'

Scotty's voice shouted over the com to the away team. ' _About bloody time you showed up! The sun is going to go nova in less than twenty minutes_!'

Kirk chimed in. "Have medical standing by and set course for the nearest starbase."

' _Aye Captain_.' The com turned off as Uhura and Scotty ended the overdue communication.

The three freed crew mates, the three friends, stood together and stared sadly at the two dead scientists.

"That could've been anyone of us..." McCoy weakly commented as he struggled to stand upright, even with Kirk and Spock's assistance.

"But it wasn't." Kirk tagged on. "Not today."

McCoy groaned in pain and tried to retract his arms to wrap around his ribs as lingering pain suddenly took his breath away.

"Bones!" Kirk, with the help of Spock, kneeled down on the ground and eased McCoy down alongside him.

Spock turned on the communicator once more and resumed contact with the Enterprise. "Spock to Enterprise, request three to beam up immediately."

' _Aye Commander_.' Scotty replied. ' _We've just finish recalibrating the transporter to compensate for the magnetic interference. Three to beam up_.'

In the bright orange sky the Minaran sun erupted with a wave of solar waves that ignited blinding balls of red, yellow and orange light. The sun was on the verge of nova.

Within a matter of seconds the three found themselves in the transporter room of the Enterprise, a small team of medical personnel had been gathered and Lt. Uhura was anxious to reunite with Spock. McCoy shook his head, indicating to his medical staff to not tend to him until he was in sickbay. They instead focused on the stasis pods holding the bodies of their fallen colleagues.

Kirk stood up slowly, allowing McCoy to find the strength in his legs at his own pace before helping the injured doctor to sickbay. Spock didn't hesitate to escort McCoy out of the transporter room to sickbay, despite his desire to speak with Uhura. He looked into her eyes and nodded to confirm that he was alright. Uhura followed, eager to know what had happened after Kirk took her place.

Uhura walked beside Kirk and quickly gave him a small kiss on his cheek. "Thank you..."

As the four entered sickbay together they caught a glimpse of the dying sun through the large window to the outside. The Enterprise had accelerated away from the sun to escape the building radiation as the nova displayed the final moments of the once brilliant star, leaving behind only darkness and ruin as the natural force decimated the solar system it once warmed.

"I hope Gem is safe." McCoy commented as the four watched the indescribable beauty outside the ship.

"I'm sure she is." Kirk replied sincerely as he helped McCoy to lay down on the nearest bio-bed.

"Gem?" Uhura asked curiously as she stood closely beside Spock. "What happened after I left?"

"The empath." Kirk answered. "She saved us all."

McCoy smiled, remembering the kindness and courage she displayed when he needed her the most. "I told you she was a real gem. Where ever she is now, I hope she's happy."

Spock discreetly took Uhura's hand in his own. "As long as she is with people she cares for, I am certain she is indeed happy."

The light of the nova died away as the Enterprise soared off to its next destination.

"Goodbye Gem." McCoy whispered. "Thank you."

_**-The End** _


End file.
